[#044] Needing A Break (FAKE)

[badly_knitted]

Theme Prompt: #044 – Day Off
Title: Needing A Break
Fandom: FAKE
Rating/Warnings: PG.
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 999
Summary: Dee and Ryo have been working overtime to keep the precinct running during a flu epidemic. Overtime pay is all very well but what they really need is a day off.



“Screw this,” Dee muttered, collapsing into his desk chair as if his bones had turned to rubber and his legs would no longer support him. “I’m all for the overtime pay, but workin’ weeks shouldn’t be this long. It’s insane!”

Ryo knew how his partner felt, since he felt exactly the same way. Having to work ten days in a row was just plain cruel and should be against the law. For all he knew it might be, but that changed nothing because a lot of far worse things were unlawful, like homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, and armed robbery, and the police had to be available to deal with serious crimes even when, like now, they were seriously shorthanded. It was their sworn duty.

“Things will settle down soon.” Ryo tried to sound more confident than he felt, but he was pretty sure he failed.

“Y’know what we need?” Dee slumped forward, one elbow resting on his desk, chin propped on the heel of his hand, normally bright green eyes shadowed with exhaustion. “A week off.”

“A week?” Ryo gave a wan smile. “At this point I’d settle for a day off. I’m so tired I can’t think straight, feels like my head’s full of wet sawdust.”

“Sounds about right.” Dee sighed heavily. “Flu shots should be mandatory for every cop in the city, then maybe those of us who have the sense to get one won’t be left to do all the work while everyone else is off sick.”

“Mm,” Ryo agreed, choosing not to mention the fact that he’d had to nag Dee for three weeks before he’d given in and gotten himself vaccinated.

“I might just call in sick tomorrow anyway,” Dee continued, head now pillowed on his arms, which were in turn resting on a stack of overdue paperwork. “I’m about ready to collapse.”

Studying his partner from where he sat limply at his own desk, Ryo pointed out, “Looks like you already have.”

“Would serve the old badger right if I did.”

“Be fair, Dee; he’s working just as hard as we are.”

Dee reluctantly shoved himself more or less upright. “I guess. Speakin’ of which, we should probably at least make it look like we’re doin’ somethin’ work related before he comes out here and gives us an earful.”

Ryo didn’t reply, already trying to force his aching eyes to focus on the screen of his laptop.

The two detectives made it through the workday, and struggled through the day after, feeling like they were running on fumes. Halfway through the shift, Chief Smith came out of his office and stomped over to their desks.

“Everything okay, Chief?” Ryo asked, and winced, silently cursed himself for giving voice to what was probably the most idiotic question possible. Fortunately Chief Smith didn’t appear to have heard.

“Parker and O’Neill will be back in tomorrow, so you two get to take the day off, but I expect you both back here at eight sharp on Thursday, got it?” he barked, at a much lower volume than usual; he still hadn’t completely gotten his voice back.

Ryo stared blankly at his boss, wondering if his ears were playing tricks on him. “Day off?”

“That’s what I said! Are you hard of hearing?”

“No, Sir, it just…”

“Doesn’t seem real,” Dee finished for his partner.

“Tell me about it.” Chief Smith’s shoulders sagged. “Worst flu epidemic in years, every precinct in the city’s struggling. One day, that’s all you’re getting so make the best of it, and you still have to finish out your shift.”

“We can do that.” Ryo tried to sit up straighter and at least give the impression of being alert, even if he wasn’t entirely sure he was awake. He didn’t think he could stand the disappointment if the promised day off turned out to be a dream. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Hmpf.” The Chief stomped away.

“You’d better not be thinkin’ about spendin’ your day off doin’ chores,” Dee said, taking in the determined expression on his lover’s face.

Ryo shook his head. “When we finish up here, I’ll have to pick up groceries because if I don’t there’ll be nothing to eat, but after that everything else will have to wait for another day.”

“Good.”





When Ryo’s alarm clock went off at six-thirty the following morning, dragging him out of a deep, dreamless sleep, he groaned and rolled over, fumbling to switch it off, dreading the thought of having to struggle through another day at work.

“Idiot,” a voice mumbled beside him. “Why’d ya set your alarm? Day off, remember?”

“Habit,” Ryo replied, flopping back against his pillows, yawning.

A heavy arm draped across his chest, making sure he didn’t try to get out of bed.

“No work today, and no chores either; you promised.”

It hadn’t really been a promise, but Ryo let that slide; he didn’t have the energy for chores anyway.

“Go back t’ sleep.”

“Mm.”

Turning onto his side again, Ryo pulled the covers up higher and closed his eyes. He hadn’t cleaned the apartment in at least a week, there was laundry piling up in the hamper again and the stack of ironing waiting to be done was so tall by now it was in danger of toppling out of the basket. Recently he’d taken to only ironing what was needed each day and leaving the rest, and he really should deal with it while he had the time, but it was still dark out, the bed was warm, Dee was a comforting presence beside him, although Ryo couldn’t quite remember his lover coming home with him the night before… Didn’t matter. The ironing wasn’t that urgent and anyway, right now sleep was a whole lot more important.

Ryo listened to Dee’s peaceful breathing and before he knew it he was fast asleep again. Who cared if he and Dee slept the whole day away? He couldn’t think of a better way of spending their day off.


The End




 

Comments

[sarajayechan]

This was so cute! I love how Ryo set the alarm out of habit, too, even on a day off.

[badly_knitted]

I think by the time he'd reached his bed he was on autopilot, wasn't even aware Dee was still trailing along after him, lol! Dee was too tired to go home, it was easier to just crash at Ryo's place.

Thank you!

[m_findlow]

I like their plan. You only need one crisp shirt for tomorrow, the rest can wait. And like Ryo, I've accidentally forgotten to turn off alarm clocks too. Nothing worse than the six am wake up call on a Saturday!

[badly_knitted]

What they need for tomorrow can be made ready later. Sleep is more important. Of course the best part of waking so early on a day off is knowing they can go back to sleep again for as long as they want.

Thank you!